Group A streptococcal meningitis: emm type distribution and theoretical vaccine coverage in children. Issue 3 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tuerlinckx, David; Gueulette, Emmanuelle; Loens, Katherine; Goossens, Herman; Smeesters, Pierre Robert
• Is Part Of: Acta clinica belgica. Volume 71:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 138
• Page End: 141
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Clinical medicine -- Periodicals; Diagnosis, Laboratory -- Periodicals; 616.005
• DOI: 10.1179/2295333715Y.0000000066
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1784-3286

Abstract

Abstract : As group A Streptococcus (GAS) meningitis is seldom reported in children, emm -type distribution data are scare. We report eight cases of GAS meningitis in Belgium (2008–2013) and compare molecular characteristics of our strains with a further 55 cases previously reported with their corresponding emm -types. emm 1 type was the most frequent (24%) followed by emm 6 (11%), emm 12 (11%) and emm 3 (6%). Together these four emm -types accounted for 52% of the cases, while the rest of the cases are due to 24 different emm -types. These 28 emm -types associated with GAS meningitis belonged to 16 different emm -clusters suggesting that there is no propensity for particular emm -types or emm -cluster to cause meningitis. Theoretical coverage of the 30-valent vaccine candidate would be 77.8% (49/63 isolates) among children with GAS meningitis.